CategoriesGrades 7-8,Grades 9-10,Grades 11-12
Preliminary Round INovember 15, 2025Registration deadlineNovember 13, 2025
Preliminary Round IIDecember 20, 2025Registration deadlineDecember 18, 2025
Global FinalMarch 24-30, 2026Registration deadlineFebruary 1, 2026
In a world driven by innovation and discovery, chemistry stands as the cornerstone of understanding the matter that shapes our universe. Often referred to as the “central science,” chemistry bridges the physical and biological realms, offering insights into everything from the structure of atoms to the reactions that fuel life and technology. Whether it’s developing sustainable materials, advancing medicine, or creating solutions to global challenges, chemistry is at the forefront of progress.
The Brainiacs Chemistry Olympiad is designed to spark curiosity and deepen understanding in students. This competition goes beyond equations and formulas—it’s about unraveling the secrets of matter, solving intricate problems, and exploring the forces that drive chemical transformations. Participants will enhance their critical thinking, embrace creativity, and build skills that pave the way for a world of possibilities.
Chemistry empowers us to innovate and create a sustainable future and inspire the next generation of chemists and problem-solvers to lead the way in shaping a better tomorrow. Let’s unlock the brainiac in every student!
Experience the thrill of competition and the joy of achievement.
20 Q Preliminary20+2 Q Global Final
75 min Preliminary120+120 min Global Final
English, Russian,French, and Spanish
The Brainiacs Chemistry Olympiad is a competition aimed at encouraging creativity, innovation, and academic excellence in students from Grade 7 to Grade 12. The Olympiad is structured into two main stages: the Preliminary Round and the Global Round.
Students can register for the Olympiad through the official Brainiacs Olympiad website or via authorized representatives in their respective countries.
The online qualifying exams for the Preliminary Round are scheduled for:
The two online rounds are the same, but feature different questions.
Those who did not qualify for the global round in the first online round, along with those who were absent from the first round, can participate in the second round.
The exam consists of 20 questions divided into three levels of difficulty:
The exam consists of 20 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 75 minutes.
Questions are tailored to the participant’s educational level and divided into the following categories:
Participants scoring at least 40% in the Preliminary Round qualify for the Global Round. Every participant receives a Certificate of Participation.
In the Preliminary Round, medals are awarded based on the points earned by the participants:
The Global Round is the final stage of the competition, where participants showcase their knowledge and ability.
Students can register for the Olympiad through the official Brainiacs Olympiad website or via authorized representatives in their respective countries.
The Global Round of Brainiacs Olympiad will take place in Xiamen University Malaysia from March 24 to 30, 2026.
Global Round exam format is different from Preliminary Round. It has both Theoretical and Practical parts separated in two consecutive examination days.
This is the traditional portion of a chemistry exam it evaluates understanding of chemical concepts, reasoning, and the ability to solve theoretical problems.
Examples:
Purpose:
To test chemical knowledge, logical reasoning, and the ability to apply theoretical concepts to explain and predict chemical behavior.
The exam consists of 20 questions divided into three levels of difficulty:
The exam consists of 15 multiple-choice and 5 open-ended questions to be completed within 120 minutes.
The practical part checks how students can apply chemical knowledge in experimental or problem-solving situations (laboratory and data-analysis tasks).
Examples:
Purpose:
To test students’ ability to plan, conduct, and interpret chemical experiments safely and logically, linking theory with observable results.
The exam consists of two tasks, each worth 50 points, to be completed within 120 minutes. Each task includes several questions that test a range of skills, including conceptual understanding, analytical thinking, and practical application.
In the Global Round, medals are awarded based on the percentage distribution according to the number of participants.
All of the questions in Preliminary and Global Rounds will be in 4 languages:
English, Russian, French, and Spanish
1.1 What is Chemistry?
1.1.1 Definition
1.1.2 Branches of chemistry (organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, biochemistry)
1.1.3 Historical milestones in chemistry discovery
1.2 Importance of Chemistry in Daily Life
1.2.1 Food, medicine, energy, environment, materials
1.2.2 Role in technology and innovation
1.3 Chemistry and Safety
1.3.1 Laboratory safety rules
1.3.2 Common safety symbols and their meanings
2.1 Solids, Liquids, and Gases
2.1.1 Properties
2.1.2 Particle arrangement
2.1.3 Compressibility
2.1.4 Diffusion in different states of matter
2.2 Changes in States of Matter
2.2.1 Melting, freezing, boiling, condensation, sublimation, deposition
2.2.2 Effect of pressure and temperature on states (gas laws intro)
2.3 Other States of Matter
2.3.1 Plasma (intro)
2.3.2 Bose–Einstein Condensate (intro)
3.1 Definitions and Examples
3.1.1 Metals, nonmetals, and metalloids
3.2 Differences Between Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures
3.2.1 Physical vs. chemical properties
3.3 Separation Techniques
3.3.1 Filtration
3.3.2 Distillation
3.3.3 Evaporation
3.3.4 Crystallization
3.3.5 Chromatography
3.3.6 Magnetic separation
3.3.7 Decantation
3.3.8 Centrifugation
3.4 Applications of Separation Methods in Industry
4.1 Introduction to Atoms
4.1.1 Dalton’s atomic theory (limitations & modern view)
4.2 Subatomic Particles
4.2.1 Proton, neutron, electron – relative mass & charge
4.2.2 Nucleus and electron cloud
4.3 Simple Atomic Models
4.3.1 Thomson’s model
4.3.2 Rutherford’s model
4.3.3 Bohr’s model (basic)
4.4 Atomic Number and Mass Number
4.4.1 Isotopes and their real-life uses (medicine, archaeology, energy)
5.1 Introduction & History
5.1.1 Mendeleev and modern periodic table
5.2 Groups and Periods
5.2.1 Trends in properties (atomic size, metallic character, reactivity – intro level)
5.3 Common Elements and Their Symbols
5.3.1 First 20 elements
5.3.2 Transition metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Ag, Au)
5.4 Special Element Families
5.4.1 Alkali metals
5.4.2 Alkaline earth metals
5.4.3 Halogens
5.4.4 Noble gases
6.1 Properties of Acids and Bases
6.1.1 Taste, feel, conductivity
6.1.2 pH scale
6.2 Natural and Synthetic Indicators
6.2.1 Litmus
6.2.2 Phenolphthalein
6.2.3 Methyl orange
6.2.4 Red cabbage extract
6.3 Neutralization Reactions
6.3.1 Everyday examples (medicine for acidity, soil treatment)
6.4 Acid Rain – Causes and Effects
6.4.1 Environmental impact
7.1 Pure Substances and Mixtures
7.1.1 Homogeneous mixtures
7.1.2 Heterogeneous mixtures
7.2 Colloids
7.2.1 Types: sols, gels, emulsions, aerosols
7.2.2 Tyndall effect
8.1 Electronic Configuration
8.1.1 First 20 elements
8.1.2 Orbital concept (basic s & p orbitals)
8.2 Mass Number & Isotopic Abundance Calculations
8.3 Isotopes in Medicine & Industry
9.1 Ionic Bonds
9.1.1 Properties of ionic compounds
9.2 Covalent Bonds
9.2.1 Single, double, triple bonds
9.2.2 Properties of covalent compounds
9.3 Metallic Bonding (Intro)
9.3.1 Explanation of conductivity and malleability
9.4 Polar vs. Non-polar Molecules
10.1 Types of Chemical Reactions
10.1.1 Combination
10.1.2 Decomposition
10.1.3 Displacement
10.1.4 Double displacement
10.2 Balancing Equations
10.2.1 Step-by-step method
10.3 Law of Conservation of Mass
10.4 Factors Affecting Reaction Rate
10.4.1 Temperature
10.4.2 Concentration
10.4.3 Catalysts
10.4.4 Surface area
10.5 Catalysts in Industry and Nature
10.5.1 Enzymes
11.1 Thermochemical Reactions
11.1.1 Exothermic vs. endothermic
11.1.2 Energy diagrams (intro)
11.2 Redox Reactions
11.2.1 Oxidation, reduction, oxidizing agents, reducing agents
11.2.2 Simple redox in daily life (rusting, bleaching, photosynthesis)
12.1 Mole Calculations
12.1.1 Mass → moles → particles conversions
12.2 Molar Mass & Avogadro’s Number
12.3 Relative Atomic & Molecular Mass
12.4 Empirical and Molecular Formula Calculations
12.5 Limiting Reagent Problems
12.6 Percentage Yield (basic level)
13.1 Air & Water Pollution
13.1.1 Major pollutants and sources
13.2 Greenhouse Gases & Global Warming
13.2.1 Carbon cycle (intro)
13.3 Acid Rain
13.3.1 Prevention and control
13.4 Waste Management
13.4.1 Recycling
13.4.2 Biodegradable vs. non-biodegradable materials
Practice with these examples to understand the format, sharpen your skills, and prepare for the challenges ahead.
